LORAIN — After 20 years, the Lorain High School Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps will soon be under the watchful command of a new instructor as its founding leader, 1st Sgt. Sam Obechi, will hang up his dress blues and trade them for attire more suitable for his imminent retirement.
On June 30, Obechi will hand the reigns to acting instructor Lt. Col. Dennis Owen, who has served as the freshman JROTC’s instructor and Obechi’s understudy.
Beyond the scope of mentor and instructor, Obechi’s career as an officer of the U.S. Army from July 15, 1970, to July 31, 1994, has been nothing less than remarkable.
During his military career, the highly decorated Obechi has held numerous leadership titles including: team leader, squad leader, section chief and platoon sergeant among others. He also has received numerous awards and decorations, including the Korean Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and Recruiter Ring for his recruiting excellence, just to name a few.
Obechi has served as instructor of the JROTC program since its inception in August 1994, where it was housed at the former Lorain Admiral King High School.
For the past two decades, the program has sustained school closings and re-openings. But during its course, it has maintained its true standard under Obechi: dedication, devotion and providing a community service.
“That’s what defines Sam Obechi,” Owen said of his mentor.
When asked what he has learned from Obechi during his first year with JROTC students, Owen summed up his learning experience in one word: “Everything.”
Owen said tangibles, such as daily routines, drills, color guard, honor guard and all the “extracurricular activities” he has learned during the school year were expected when he accepted the position last year. But Owen said it was the intangible lessons learned from Obechi that have made a lasting impression on him and are what he will carry with him moving forward.
“Dedication and devotion,” Owen said. “You can’t say devotion to just one thing either. With 24 years of military service, and his commitment to the JROTC program, that is who he is as a person.”
Owen said when summing up Obechi as a person, and while reflecting on his 44 years of service to his country and community, he finds it complicated.
During his tenure, Obechi has built a close relationship with his students and service organizations, “blending them nicely,” Owen said.
“When you talk about his accomplishments, you cannot talk about just the JROTC,” Owen said. “As everyone knows, Sam is very involved in the community and incorporates all of the military service organizations in his work. But those have kind of combined into one, because these military organizations want to be involved in the JROTC and the military side of what we do here. There’s a link between the two, but he does both so well.”
Obechi said when he steps out of the high school for the last time he will cherish the memories, not of his success nor community service, but those of the boys and girls he has led, and the men and women who have come back to their community to offer their services.
Seeing them grow and climb the ranks from their freshman year to graduation and coming back to serve their community is what he said he will miss the most.
“That’s the biggest satisfaction,” Obechi said. “I have former cadets who have gone on to become police officers, highway patrol troopers and on to other professions in the community. That’s a good feeling to see that success.”
Beyond his students, Obechi said he also will cherish the support of his staff members and community.
Teachers, community leaders and veterans have all shown their support of Obechi’s efforts and that of the program over the past two decades, something he said he will hold close to his heart.
“This program would not have been as successful without that support for so long,” he said. “And I believe this program will continue that success under Dennis’ leadership and through his dedication to the kids.”
As complicated as Owen found it talking about the “intangible” Obechi, he managed to simplify his commitment and career in the military and as an educator to a standard practice taught to recruits and executed year after year: the community service project.
“The community service project is something done by JROTC’s nationwide,” Owen said. “For me, that’s part of what outlines 1st Sgt. Obechi. He is one big community service project. It’s that dedication and devotion that has elevated him, not only in the school program, but in the community as well.”
In honor of Obechi’s illustrious career, a retirement dinner will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. May 24 at the Lorain Party Center, 2501 Leavitt Road.
Owen asks anyone with pictures from their time spent with Obechi, and who are willing to contribute them as part of celebratory slideshow that will take place during the event, to contact him at the Lorain High School Annex, 2321 Fairless Drive, or by phone at 440-277-7263, ext. 2620.
To purchase tickets, call Owen or Helen Pagan at the high school at 440-277-1176.